Improvement in automatic switches



tucky, have invented la new and useful Improvement n tion, I will proceed to describe its construction and tltitrd (Stabat ,at-wt @Mitica SAMUEL HODKINSON, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

ALetters Patent No, s9,578,1atez May 4, 1869. l.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATI SWITCHES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and mal-n'ngparl: of the same.

To all 'whom it may comer-n:

VBe it known that I, SAMUEL HoDKINsoN, of Louisville, in the county of J eerson, and State of Kenin Self-Adjusting Railroad-Switches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,` and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to. the letters of reference marked thereon.

. The nature' of my invention consists -in attaching levers four or five feet-long to the sides of the rails, by bolts, on which they work loosely, and having their upper edges bevelled each way, forming inclined planes from eitherend, leaving them high in the middle, which causes-them to project above the rails.

They also have grooves in their upper surfaces, to 't the anges of the car-wheels, which, entering one Yend, pass over and press them down, thereby operating the shifting-bar, which moves the rails by the crank and link-attachments connecting it with the levers, and hence, becomes self-acting, that a train may'passeither way on the straightroad or the switch. One of the levers has the inside of the front end bevelled to admit the flanges of the wheel to pass between it and the rail, without pressing it down or shifting the rails before the train passes over, and having springs arranged at the sides which replace the lever ,again as soon as the train has passed over.

The above being a full description of my invenoperat-ion, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the track, showing its general construction.

,A are the cross-ties.

B B B B are'the rails of the main track.

0 C are the adjustable rails.

D D are the side-track rails.

EE E are the levers attached to the sides of the rails, which the flanges of the wheels press down as they pass, and which have grooves in the top, fitting the wheel-anges, and are made of the shape and size above described, and as shown in the drawings.

F is a slot in the lever, which vibrates on a stationary pin in orderto keep it in place.

G G are the iron pins shown in Figure 2, for the same purpose, and have in addition a steel spiral spring passing over them, oneend resting against the head of the pins, the other against the side of the lever E, for the purpose of replacing it after the train has passed.

When it is-coming from au opposite direction, it enters at the point oi' the leverE at H, the inside of which is bevelled oi to admit the ange of the carwheels to pass between the lever and the rail without pressing it down, and when the trainv has passed, the lever-is replaced against the rail by the springs G, at the sides.

I I I are the cranks, lwhich are operated by the levers E, through an attachment to them, under the ,rails at L L L.

O is the link connecting the lever E of the main l track with the switchails.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lever E, with .the spring-attachment, showing the spring and crankattachment to the lever.

'Ihe above is a full description of the construction -of my improvement, which is operated by the wheels of the cars passing over and pressing down the levers E, which, by crank and link-connections, operatethe shifting-bar M, which shifts the rails to the desired position for the train' to pass over in safety.

As may be seen, a train approaching the junction by the main track will adjust-the switch so that it may run upon the main branch B, evenif the switch were misplaced, and a-train approaching from the opposite direction upon the main branch will operate in. like manner, and the levers E attached to railsAB, will be depressed, and the lever-E attached to rails D, of the side-track, will be elevated. A train approach-l ing by the side-track D willthen be enabled to adjust the switch for its passage, and, at the same time, by means of the link O, will elevate thelever E of the main track, and, in passing over it, will not depress it, by reason of the bevelled point H and springs G, and the lever will remain in condition to be acted-upon by the return-train, as above shown. v

What rI claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the slotted lever E and spring G, the cranks lI K, conneotinglinks J J and O, and shifting-bar M, all constructed,arranged, and operated in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

SAMUEL HODKINSON.

Witnesses:

Jos. R. WALToN, HENRY HART. 

